Prior to the present invention, the present inventor being a specialist in the field of aquatic-life sampling technology, became aware of the less-than-accurate and less-than-controlled conditions under which prior sampling devices and techniques operated in cumbersome attempts to arrive at some semblance of reliable information as to estimation of animal life of small and/or microscopic sizes. Typical of such was a gadget in the nature of a mere funnel-like structure held in the hand, extending beneath the water slightly above the bottom thereafter agitated with a booted-foot or with a gloved-hand upstream of the funnel-like structure, in hopes of catching a representative sample of aquatic animal life within the funnel netting attached to the rear thereof for retaining the funneled matter successfully captured.